It means that the system can’t find a required file or codec for that video, or the Media Player database is corrupted.
A better and faster solution is to use another video player such as VLC. VLC Media Player includes its own built‑in codecs for MP4, AVI, MKV, etc., so it doesn’t rely on Windows’ codec system the way Windows Media Player does. which you can download directly from the Microsoft Store. Set VLC as the default app for videos and movies, then play your files normally.
For Setting VLC as default (Windows 10/11):
- Install VLC from the Microsoft Store.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Default apps.
- Under Video, choose VLC media player (or set by file type: .mp4, .avi, etc.).
- Open your videos; they should now launch in VLC automatically.
Alternatively Right‑click the video file, choose Open with > Choose another app, select VLC media player, check “Always use this app to open .mp4 (or .avi) files”, then click OK. After that, double‑clicking videos of that type will open and play in VLC automatically.,